Armed man arrested at area store

A man who carried a gun into an area business has been arrested. Erik L. Hudson, 45 of 1319 Rosemount Road, Portsmouth, is charged with having a weapon while under disability and using a weapon while intoxicated.

According to the official report at the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to Dollar General at 10073 U.S. 23 in Lucasville Saturday when employees reported a man became belligerent with them when they told him he couldn’t bring an open beer can into the store.

The report said the man went into the restroom and an employee believed him to be armed.

Deputies knocked on the restroom door and told him to come out. Deputies said they asked if he had a gun and he responded that he did and due to their suspicion that he was intoxicated, they told him they were going to take his gun, a Bersa Thunder 380 semi-automatic handgun and holster. They removed the gun and a knife from his front pocket, according to the report.

As he was being interviewed in the patrol car, dispatchers let deputies know there was a warrant out for him on a theft charge. He was then placed into custody and transported to the Scioto County Jail.